Seeding-machine.



saw 4% XM- F. R. PAOKHAM & W. L. BRALEY.

SEEDING MACHINE. I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1912,

Patented Sept. 22, 1914 amvenfow Huang 4,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK It. PACKHAM AND WILLIAM L. BRALEY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE AMERICAN SEEDING MACHINE COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, A GOR- PORATION OF OHIO.

SEEDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 30, 1912. Serial No. 723,124;

the furrow opener and covering device thereof.

The object of this invention is to provide independent raising, lowering, and pressure devices for the furrow opener and covering wheel such that said furrow opener and covering wheel will be permitted to drop into depressions into the ground in a uniform manner and to the same extent.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and make more effective devices of this character. r

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the parts in a different position from Fig. 1. Fig. '2 is a detail in perspective of one of the operating crank arms. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of one of the swivels.

Like parts .are represented by similar characters of reference in the several views.

The particular form of seeding machine shown in the drawings is what is known as a. beet-seed sowing drill, but the improvements are equally applicable to other forms of seeding machines in which covering wheels.

are employed in connection with the furrow opening devices.

In the said drawings, 1 represents the main frame, upon which is mounted the usual hopper 2, this frame and hopper being carried by ground wheels (not shown) in the ordinary manner.

3 represents a furrow opener device, shown in the present case in the nature of a shoe, pivotally connected to the draft rod 4 supported from the main frame, by the drag-bar 5; it being understood that a series of these furrow openers are employed but that one only is shown in the drawings.

The press-wheel 6 is of the usual kind, pivotally connected to the furrow opener 3 through the drag-bars 7 in the usual way so as to trail behind the same.

Means are provided, through the medium of a bolt (not shown) which extends through the openings 8 in the drag-bars 7 and also through slotted openings 9 in the portion 3 of the furrow openers for locking the cover:

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

ing wheels to the furrow openers, in which case they act strictly as gage wheels; but,

when thebolt 8 is removed, it will be understood that the wheel 6 floats in the wakeof the furrowopener to perform the function .of a covering or press-wheel, and the improvements now to be described relate'more particularly to the device when the wheel is performing this covering function. In'the operation of these devices, it is customary not only to provide for raising and lowering the furrow opener and covering wheel, but also to apply pressure in varying de grees to the same, and when the wheel is floating or trailing loosely behind the furrow opener in performing the function strictly of a covering device, it is desirable that this pressure he applied independently to the wheel and opener in order that they may rise and fall independently of each other in passing over depressions in the ground. Heretofore devices have been employed for applying this independent pressure, but the construction in these prior devices has been such as to prevent the uniform rising and falling of the covering wheel and furrow opener; that is, in passing over depressionso'f any considerable depth, the construction of these prior devices is such that the covering wheel will not drop to the extreme bottom of the depression, thus interfering with the proper covering of the seed. To overcome thisdifiiculty, and to' devise a construction in which the furrow opener and covering wheel will rise and fall uniformly and to the same extent, we have devised' the following arrange ment of parts.

Extending across the rear of the machine is a rock. shaft 10 having an operatin lever 11 which has a spring-pressed paw (not shown) for cooperating with the notches of the segment 12, this rock shaft'and lever being the usual one found in machines of this kind. Pivotally connected with the furrow opening device 3 is a rod 13, and pivotally connected with the drag-bars'of the covering wheel is a rod 14. Clamped to the rockshaft 10 is a crank arm 15, between the forked free ends 15 and- 15 of which is pivotally mounted the trunnions 16 of a head 16. This head 16 is provided with two eyes or apertures 17 and 18, through which extend respectively the rods 13 and 14, which have collars 13 and 14: upon their upper ends in order that the .respective furrow opening and covering devices may be raised from the ground. Coiled springs 19 and 20 on the respective rods 13 and let, and interposed between the head 16 andcollars 21 and 22 on said rods, act in conjunction with v the crank arin to place a varying pressure upon the furrow opening device and covering wheel. seen that the covering wheel will be permitted to drop into depressions in the ground to the same extent that the furrow opener has dropped thus insuring a uniform covering of the seed; this operation being due to the fact that the furrow opener and covering a. wheel rods are both connected to the crank By this construction it will be arm common to said wheel and opener together with means for operating the same, a swiveled head carried by said crank arm having a pair of apertures arranged in proximity to each other, independent rods pivotally connected to said furrow opener and covering wheel, respectively, and extending loosely through said apertures to permit the rise and fall of said opener and wheel independentlyof said crank arm, projections on the upper ends of said rods whereby said furrow opener and covering wheel may .be simultaneously raised by said crank arm, and-springs on said rods adapted to be acted upon by said crank arm to simultaneously and independently exert a pressure upon said furrow opener and covering wheel, the

connection between sald rods and said crank arm being located the same distance from the pivotal point of said crank arm.

. In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 26th day of September 1912.

WILLIAM L. BRALE Y.

FRANK R. PACKHAM. 

